WRESTLING COLUMNS

Trifecta Of World ChampionsMay 2, 2004 by Chris Chambers

Well loyal readers I am back again for a new column. I apologize I haven't been writing alot like I normally do but I have been busy and alot of drama off the net so please bare with me. After this column I will be writing like I normally do and each and every column I do from here on out will be insightfull and a very good read. This "come back" column as I call it so to speak, I am going to write about the trifecta of world champions. What do I mean you say? Well its easy, I am going to talk about the top three world champions. They are Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and AJ Styles.

Each guy has worked their butts off to get where they are today in one way or another and I am going to express my views on each of them and how they reached the top of the mountain. So strap on your seat belts and get ready for a bumpy ride.

First of the Trifecta I am going to talk about is the Rabid Wolverine Chris Benoit. Chris Benoit a protege of the Hart dungeon worked his butt off for 18 years to finally get the gold. Lets take a trip down memory lane shall we (well as far as I can remember starting watching Benoit wrestling). I started watching Benoit when he was in WCW. When I first started watching him I saw alot of potential in him and I thought he will be champion one day. Chris Benoit traveled all over the world to not only get alot of competition but to also make a name for himself. There are alot of critics that say Benoit doesn'r deserve to be World Champion or that he isn't championship material but I guess he proved all of the critics wrong when he defeated HHH at WM20 cleanly. In his career he fought great men from around the globe, guys like Jushin Thunder Lyger, Sabu, Great Sasuke, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero (who he traveled up and down the roads together with), and many many more. Chris Benoit didn't get the name of the Canadian Crippler and the Rabid Wolverine for nothing. He fought day in and day out and clawed his way up to the top like a wolverine would do to get his prey and to stay dominant. Most wrestling fans aren't sure how Chris Benoit got the nickname of the Canadian Crippler. Well here is the exact reason he got the monicre or nickname, he wrestled Sabu in ECW and did a german suplex or something and he inadvertantly (not on purpose) broke Sabu's neck. To me Benoit has that never say die attitude and I believe that is what keeps him going today. I think Benoit deserves to be the champion for quite a while and I believe it would be a disservice to him to make him another transitional champion (see Vengeance 2001: Chapter: 1, Chris Jericho). Whether or not you like Chris Benoit you should respect him for what he has done and definitely he has proven that the Title doesn't revolve around "Big Men".

Second of the Trifecta I am going to talk about is Eddie Guerrero. Most people are definitely critics when it comes to talkin about Eddie as the WWE Champion. I know Eddie Guerrero started off in the lucha libre style of wrestling and he started off as a Cruiserweight. Eddie Guerrero busted his butt off like Benoit has and traveled the globe to make a name for himself. Eddie Guerrero may not posses the attributes and wrestling style like most fans like but he is still a good wrestler. Eddie Guerrero IMO is Championship Material and he does deserve to be the Champion. Whoa, wait before you go jumping on me for this but you have to realize even though Eddie Guerrero was a cruiserweight and he started wrestling with the lucha libre style doesn't mean hes not heavyweight championship material. It means Eddie worked his butt off day in and day out and trained to become a successfull heavyweight. Look at his track record he is a former Cruiserweight Champion, former United States "Heavyweight" (as you may have noticed emphasis on heavyweight) Champion, former IC Champion, former European Champion, and Current WWE Champion. If Eddie Guerrero isn't heavyweight championship material then why did he hold the US Title? A title that most true Heavyweight Championship Material wrestlers have held like Ric Flair, Greg Valentine, and many more. Eddie's current Lie, Cheat, and Steal gimmick is what turns most fans off from liking him but its not his fault WWE has given him a stereotypical gimmick. However, you do have to agree that Eddie has made the best out of the situation with his Lie, Cheat, and Steal Gimmick. Regardless of if you think Eddie is Championship Material or not you have to agree he worked his butt off to get to where he is today. One more thing about Eddie Guerrero, there are some critics that says he hasn't put enough butts in the seats, well that is definitely not true. Yea I will go along the lines of saying that maybe in the past that is so true but nowadays its futher from the truth. Lately, Most people have bought tickets to see Eddie Guerrero and to see him wrestle. Like when SD was in El Paso (Eddies home town), all the fans gave Eddie a standing O and they gave him alot of big pops. Now to get away from the critics, I do want to say one thing. Eddie Guerrero has proven to me and everyone else why he deserves to be Champion....because he has been putting on great matches, very good on the mic, very good promos, and many other good things.

Third of the Trifecta I am going to talk about AJ Styles. AJ Styles is simply phenominal in the ring and he is a very good wrestler whether you like him or not. AJ Styles is somewhat in the same boat when it comes to being World Champion. They both started wrestling with the cruiserweight/x division style of wrestling and they have many critics against them. The only difference is that Eddie has wrestled longer than AJ. Throughout the year and a half of TNA, AJ Styles has made many impacts and the first impact he made was when he became the first ever TNA X Division Champion. He was a true fighting Champion and he put on great matches with just about every X Division star you could think of. He had incredible and amazing matches with Amazing Red, Low - Ki, Jerry Lynn, and many more. Then he went onto the tag division with Jerry Lynn as his partner. That was a good time for AJ but it proved that AJ was better as a singles wrestler. When AJ Styles won the NWA - TNA World Title the first time I was in shock and in disbelief. After the realization hit me that he was Champion, I felt 100% estatic and happy. AJ Styles has done the amazing thing and became a World Champion. Then after he lost it he still maintained and honorable run and roll in the business. Then AJ Styles won it for the second time and I was so happy. AJ Styles whether its competing in the X Division or Heavyweight Division he still puts on an awesome and dare I say phenominal performance.

Well loyal readers this is my "come back" column so to speak and I hope you all enjoy it. Please email me your feedback at [email protected] (yes, yes, I do like evolution but its a different story).

Joe Joe writes:
Nice article! You made some interesting points how those champs are actually of or around being a light weight. While its good to see them being able to get to the top, I think it leads to some of the hate towards the likes of Big Show and other big men who don't get the proper respect for what they bring to the table. Also I think honorable(pun intented) mention should go to the RoH World Champ Samoa Joe.
wrote:

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